Randomly reflecting lamp

ABSTRACT

A translucent body formed internally with a plurality of randomly directed interfaces is illuminated by a light source interrupted by a fenestrated disk and juxtaposed varicolored disk rotated relative to the light source and to a fenestrated support for the body whereby light is variously reflected by the interfaces to appear as throbbing, twinkling pulses of color.

United States Patent 1191.

Mincy 1 Oct. 2, 1973 [5 RANDOMLY REFLECTING LAMP 2,322,838 6/1943 Evans40 132 0 l 2,891,338 6/1959 Palamara 40/132 G [75] Invemmi' Santa2,147,232 2/1939 Ballew 40 132 0 Callfv 3,245,163 4/1966 Allen 40 132 0[73] Assignee: Giant Behelnoth industries, Santa FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 731,548 6/1955 Great Britain 40/132 0 [22] Filed: Apr. 5,1971 Primary ExaminerR0bert W. Michell [21] Appl' No" 131L157 AssistantExaminer.lohn F. Pitrelli AttorneyNilsson, Robbins, Wills & Berliner[52] US. Cl. 40/34, 40/130 K, 40/132 E,

40/133 A, 240/101 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl G091 19/12, G09f 19/20 [58]Field of Search 40/34, 32 G 130 K, A translucent body formed mternallywith a plural1ty of H132 E 133 540/101 randomly directed interfaces isilluminated by a light source interrupted by a fenestrated disk andjuxtaposed [56] References Cited varicolored disk rotated relative tothe light source and UNITED STATES PATENTS to a fenestrated support forthe body whereby l1ght 1s varlously reflected by the mterfaces to appearas throbl,6l2,362 12/1926 Decker 240/101 hing, twinkhng pulses of color1,351,562 8/1920 Foster..... 1,445,977 2/1923 Shephard 40/132 G 6Claims, 5 Drawing Figures FIELD OF THE INVENTION The fields of art towhich the invention pertains in- I clude the fields of decorativelights, reflectors, lanterns and projecting apparatus.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A number of illuminated displayshave been devised to generate varicolored light patterns to provide aneffect of color movement." Such devices have generally required rotatinglamps with attendant brushes and the like and/or complex Circuitry oroptics to achieve a variety of patterned light displays; Many suchdevices generate stroboscop'ic, sharply changing bursts of color, forexample as illustrated in Allen Pat. No. 3,245,163. Other devicesdisplay predetermined patterns of light, such as illustrated by Kosmau.S. Pat. No. 2,959,094. Other disclosures of r interest herein areSwedlo et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,000,774, Schoenherr US. Pat. No.2,644,883, Seisholtz, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 2,771,543 and Andersen U.S. Pat.No. 2,567,046.

The present invention provides a display of throbbing, varying color butwherein the effects are localized to an illuminated member. Inparticular, a translucent body which is ormed internally with aplurality of randomly directed interfaces is illuminated by light whichis pulsed and variegated so as to' be variously reflected .by theinterfaces and appear as throbbing, twinkling pulses of color. The lampincludes a base mounting a lamp or other suchlight source and is formedwith a top panel having an apertured portio'n supporting the translucentbody. An apertured disk and juxtaposed varicolo'red disk are disposedbetween the lamp and top panel and rotated in light interceptionrelationship to the light emitted fromthe light source so that light ofvarying beam widths and varying color canstrike the bottom of thetranslucent body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lampconstructed in accordance with this invention;

. FIG. 2 is 'a plan view of the base of the lamp, taken DETAILEDDESCRIPTION Referring initially to FIG. 1, there is shown the out- ,wardappearance of a lamp l constructed in accordance with the presentinvention and which includes a base 12 supporting a cylindricalillumination member 14. The base 12 incorporates a light source andmotorized mechanism for providing variegated pulsed light to theillumination member 14, as will be described hereinafter in more detail.The base 12 includes opaque side walls 16, 18', 20 and 22, a bottom wall24 and a top wall 26 (see also FIG. 3). The electrical components in thebase 12 are wired to and actuated by a single toggle switch 28. k

Referring to FIG. 2, the top wall 26 is formed with a plurality ofapertures 30 generally within a circular region at one end of the base12 and which entirely underlie the illumination member 14. In place ofapertures, the top wall can be fenestrated by any means, for example bya plurality of transparent spots. A rotating light interceptionmechanismis indicated generally by dashed lines 32. A projection lamp, indicatedby dashed lines 34, underlies the light interception mechanism 32 and isaligned with the top apertures 30. 1

Referring to FIG. 3, the illumination member cornpris es a mass ofpolyester plastic which in this case is molded in the form of acylinder. The cylinder is formed by casting the polyester pre-polymermaterial in a suitable mold and then adding catalyst in excess of thatrequired simply for polymerization. The result of adding excess catalystis the formation of a large number of internally distorted regions 36yielding a plurality of randomly directed interfaces 38. Light enteringthe member 14 is variously reflected by these interfaces 38 so that notwo illumination members 14 appear exactly alike. In place of polyester,one can utilize any organic plastic material or inorganic material whichcan be treated during its formation stage or subsequent thereto to yielda plurality of randomly directed interfaces. For example glass can beheated and cooled suddenly to impart a cracked structure serving asimilar purpose. Other polymeric materials can be utilized and methodsfor their preparation are well known to the art and are detailed inModern Plastics Encyclopedia, McGraw-Hill, Inc. (1968, incorporatedherein by reference,

Referring now to both FIGS. 3 and 4, a traverse bar 40 is securedbetween the side walls 16 and 20, midway between the adjacent side walls18 and 22. An electric motor 42 is mounted to the underside of thetraverse bar 40, secured by studs 44 and 46 extending through openingsin the traverse bar 40 and held by nuts 48 and 50. The motor 42 ismounted with its shaft 52 extending through an opening 54 formedcentrally on the traverse bar. A light intercepting disk or plate 56 anda colored disk 58 are centrally journaled juxtaposed on the motor shaft52, stopped by a flanged member 60, the threaded end 62 of the motorshaft 52 extending through central openings (such as at 64) in the plate56 and disk 58. A screw cap 66 secures the plate 56 and disk 58sandwiched together on the shaft.

The motor, plate 56 and disk 58 constitute the rotating lightintercepting mechanism 32 above referred to. The plate 56 is formed witha plurality of apertures 68, distributed evenly therethrough. The colordisk 58 is formed of translucent material, such as cellophane, or glass,with a plurality of segments 70 of different colors. The projection'lamp34 is secured in a socket 72, mounted by screws 74 (FIG. 3) to thebottom base panel 24 and, as above indicated, is disposed in alignmentwith the top base panel apertures 30. The sandwich of apertured plate 56and color disk 58 is disposed with approximately a quadrant between theprojecter lamp 34 and top base apertures 30 so that the motor 42 rotatesthe plate 56 and color disk 58 in light interception relationship tolight emitted from the projection lamp 34.

Current is supplied to the motor 42 and lamp 34 over wires not shown,and wires 76 and 78 from the motor 42 and lamp 34, respectively, areconnected to a single toggle switch 28 which extends exteriorly of oneof the base side panels 16. In operation, the toggle switch 28 isflicked to its on position whereupon the projection lamp 34 and motor 42are actuated. The apertured plate 56 and color disk 58 rotate,intercepting light from the lamp 34 so that pulsed beams of variouslycolored light are projected through the top base panel apertures 30 andonto the bottom side of the illumination member 14. As a result of themovement of the apertured plate 56 relative to the base top panelapertures 30, a light beam projected through any particular aperture 30is alternately increased and decreased in width. This effect combinedwith various reflections by the interfaces of the illumination member 14results in throbbing, twinkling pulses of color having a unique etherealquality and providing a dramatic imagery effect.

In place of the apertured disk 56, one can utilize any fenestration,such as transparent or translucent spots in an otherwise opaquebackground or vice-versa.

Referring to FIG. 5, an alternative embodiment is illustrated wherein anillumination member 80 is provided which has an irregular shape, incontrast to the uniform cylindrical shape of the llumination body 14illustrated in FIG. 1. A base 82 is provided which is identical to thebase 12 illustrated in FIGS. 1-4. The illumination member 80 is formedwith a flat annular bottom surface 84 overlying the top base panel 86 soas to prevent light leakage. However, the entire bottom surface need notbe flat and annular flatness is not required if light leakage can betolerated or otherwise accommodated.

As required, details of illustrative embodiments of the invention havebeen disclosed herein. However, it is to be understood that theseembodiments merely exemplify the invention which may take many formssubstantially different from the specific illustrated embodimentsdisclosed. Therefore, specific structural and functional details are notto be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims.

I claim 1. A randomly reflecting lamp, com-prising:

a light source;

a masking member having at least first and second portions withdifferent light transmissive propermeans for moving said masking memberin light intercepting relationship to light emitted from said lightsource;

a base enclosing said light source and masking member and formed with atop panel having a stationary fenestrated portion overlying said maskingmember and said portions adjacent thereto;

a solid, stationary body of light transmitting material having a lightreceiving surface disposed over a portion only of said top panel andover said fenestrated portion, said body having a solid vertical extentfrom and normal to said light receiving surface, said extent beinggreater than the largest dimension of said light receiving surface, saidbody comprising an internally fractured mass of organic plastic having aplurality of randomly directed interfaces therein through said verticalextent and throughout the width of said body, said interfaces extendingsubstantially inwardly from the outer surfaces of said body, forvariously reflecting light, said light receiving body surface beingdisposed in the path of light passing through said masking member.

2. The invention according to claim 1 in which said masking membercomprises a rotatable fenestrated disk.

3. The invention according to claim 1 in which said masking membercomprises a translucent member having segments of different colors.

4. The invention according to claim 2 including a varicoloredtranslucent disk juxtaposed to said fenestrated disk and rotatabletherewith.

5. The invention according to claim 1 in which said masking membercomprises a rotatable fenestrated disk, and including a varicoloredtranslucent disk juxtaposed to said fenestrated disk and movabletherewith.

6. The invention according to claim 1 in which said body includes a flatannular bottom surface abutting said top panel.

1. A randomly reflecting lamp, com-prising: a light source; a maskingmember having at least first and second portions with different lighttransmissive properties; means for moving said masking member in lightintercepting relationship to light emitted from said light source; abase enclosing said light source and masking member and formed with atop panel having a stationary fenestrated portion overlying said maskingmember and said portions adjacent thereto; a solid, stationary body oflight transmitting material having a light receiving surface disposedover a portion only of said top panel and over said fenestrated portion,said body having a solid vertical extent from and normal to said lightreceiving surface, said extent being greater than the largest dimensionof said light receiving surface, said body comprising an internallyfractured mass of organic plastic having a plurality of randomlydirected interfaces therein through said vertical extent and throughoutthe width of said body, said interfaces extending substantially inwardlyfrom the outer surfaces of said body, for variously reflecting light,said light receiving body surface being disposed in the path of lightpassing through said masking member.
 2. The invention according to claim1 in which said masking member comprises a rotatable fenestrated disk.3. The invention according to claim 1 in which said masking membercomprises a translucent member having segments of different colors. 4.The invention according to claim 2 including a varicolored translucentdisk juxtaposed to said fenestrated disk and rotatable therewith.
 5. Theinvention according to claim 1 in which said masking member comprises arotatable fenestrated disk, and including a varicolored translucent diskjuxtaposed to said fenestrated disk and movable therewith.
 6. Theinvention according to claim 1 in which said body includes a flatannular bottom surface abutting said top panel.